Collapsible canvas boat



: 1927. Jan F. H. CHURCHILL COLLAPSIBLE CANVAS BOAT Filed July 6 1925 R m m w ATTORNEK holding the Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK H. CHURCHILL, 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

COLLAPSIBLE CANVAS BOAT.

Application filed July 6, 1925. 'Serial 'No. 41,584.

The invention is a canvas boat, which is constructed so that it may readily be folded.

The object of the invention is to provide a collapsible boat of a simple and economical construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible canvas boat, which is of a comparatively light weight.

Another object of the invention is to provide a -.colla psib'le canvas boat which may readily 'be folded together and to half of its length.

A further object of the invention is to provide a frame for a collapsible canvas boat which is so constructed that as the ends are forced into place they will stretch the canvas. l A still further object of the invention is to provide transverse ribs for a collapsible canvas boat which may be pivotally at tached to the upper edges of the boat and which when forced into position will hold the boat in its proper shape.

And a still further object of the invention is to provide a. collapsible canvas "boat in which the canvas is so designed that there will be no seams below the water line.

With these ends in view, the invention embOdies a canvas boat having removable and collapsible end members, the lower blocks of the end members sliding into circles made by longitudinal ribs which are attached by a flexible cord, rods with spliced sections at their centers, slid'able in the upper edges of the canvas sides, transverse ribs and collapsible seats. 7

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the drawings whereinz- V igure 1 is a plan view of the boat.

Figure 2 is a cross section showing one of the transverse holding ribs.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section showing one end of the boat.

Figure 4 is .a detail showing a clamp for oar lock. v V

Figure 5 is a detail showing aspring pin for holding the two upper longitudinal ribs at the center.

Figure 6 is a view showing the boat on a somewhat smaller scale as it would appear when partially folded.

Figure '7 is a detail showing the pattern for cutting and folding the canvas at the ends of the boat.

, canvas sides of the boat.

In the drawings I have shown my boat as it would be constructed wherein numeral 1 indicates the frame, numeral 2 the end members and numeral 3 the canvas covermg.

The frame 1 is constructed of a plurality of longitudinal ribs 4: which are provided with telescoping joints 5 at the center and eyes 6 at the ends. These ribs are held together at regular inervals by tapes 7 and are held at their ends by a flexible cord 8 passing through the eyes at their ends. The members at each side "of this group of ribs at which are indicated by the numerals -9 and 10 are provided with spring latches ll adjacent their centers as shown in Figure 5. hen forced into place these ribs will bow outward as shown in Figures 1 and 3 to reinforce the sides of the boat.

The cord 8 at the ends *of the ribs 'is in the shape of a loop wit'h both ends fastened into abutton 12. A block I3 which forms the lower member of the end 2 slides into the circle formed by joining the ends of the longitudinal members 4 together by the cord 8, and it will be observed that this block is provided with a shoulder l liagainst which the ends of the lower members d lre's-t. On the upper side of the block 113 is also a pin 15 around which a-clip 16 on the upr1ght'memberl7 of the end 2 is placed when assembling the boat. The opposite side of the member 17 is provided with :a block "18 to which another upright member 19, is 'pivotally attached by a pin 20 through straps 21 at the sides. After the end :of the boat is forced into the position shown in Figure 3 by forcing the upper end of the member 17 against the member 19 the upper end of the member 17 is held by a clip 22 which is pivotally attached to the member 19. lhe upper end of the member 19 is provided with a strap 23 by which it is held to eyes 24 by a bolt 25. The eyes 24.- extend from the ends of rods 26 and 27 which extend continuously through the upper edges of the These rods 26 and 27 are provided with splice members 28 at their centers which are attached to the canvas to locate the -frame when assembling so as to always bring the frame and canvas into correct relative positions. These :members 28 are of such a length that each end of the members 26 and 27 will be as long as each of the ends of the members 4 so that all of the poles from which the frame is made will be of the same length. It will be seen that the inner ends of the members 26 and 27 are free to pass into the splice members and when it is desired to fold the boat the bolts may be removed and then when all clamps along the sides of the boat are removed the ends of the members 26 and 27 will be free to slide out of the ends of the canvas covering.

Th members 9 and 10 are held adjacent the members 26 and 27 by clamps 29 to which transverse ribs are pivotally attached by a pin 31. The ribs 30 are assembled in an upward or horizontal position and when they are forced to the position shown in Figure 2 they will stretch the canvas laterally and thereby hold the sides of the boat rigid. It will be observed that these members 30 may conform to any desired shape so that the cross section of the boat ,may be of any suitable design.

The clamps 29 are formed with a plate 32 which has clips at the ends to hold it to the members 9 and 27 or to the members 10 and 26 and it will be observed that the pins 3*. are pivotally held in openings in these plates so that the members 30 may readily be raised or' lowered or also removed or replaced. The clips are also provided with plates 33 at the outer sides of the rods and the plates are rigidly clamped to the rods by thumb screws 34. These clamps are also shown in detail in Figure 4 and in this design the plates 32 are provided with lug 35 in which oar locks may be pivotally held. These oar locks may be attached to the sides of the boat in any suitable position.

Collapsible seats, indicated by the numerals 36 and 3? may be provided in the boat and these may be of any suitable size or arranged in any suitable manner. In the design shown, the seats 36 are formed with the rods 38 at the forward edge and rods 39 at the rear. These rods are held apart by hooks 49 which are pivotally held in the rod 39 and which are removably placed in openings 41 in the bar 38. The outer ends of the rod 39 are also provid d with other hooks 42 that extend upward and hook over the rods 26 and 27 of the upper edges of the boat. It will be observed that the forward edges of the seats 35 are su; ported on the members 9 and 10 of the frame 4 and the rear members are supported tl rough the hooks 42 from the members 26 and 27 of the boat. The seats are also provided with a canvas covering as indicated by the numeral 43. It will be seen that when it is desired to remove the seats and fold them, the hooks 40 are removed from the openings 41 and the hooks 42 which are pivotally mounted in the ends of the rods 39 by pins 44 as shown in Figure 3 may be folded downward so that the entire device may be rolled up. The seat 37 which may be placed at the center, may

be made with two bars 45 with hooks 46 to hold them apart and with a canvas cover ing 47 which may be stretched across them as shown in Figure 1. It is also understood that as many seats as may be desired may be used.

The formation of the group of ribs 4 when rigidly held in place as shown, is such 7 that they will form a truss with the vertical members forming the sides of the boat and the horizontal members the bottom of the boat and the struts or arch members are formed by the transverse members 30. It i stretch or tension at the ends; another may be in the use of different means for holding the longitudinal ribs, and still another may be in the use of different types of clamps for holding the transverse ribs or oar locks. It is also understood that the design of the boat may as changed considerably and the arrangement of the seats may also be changed or as many seats as may be desired may be sed.

The construction will be readily understood from the foregoing description. use the device, it may be assembled as shown with the ends of the ribs 4 held tog ther by the looped cord and the blocks 13 and the end members 2 inserted as hereinbefore described When it is desired to fold the beat, it will be observed that the clips 22 may be raised so that the members 17 may be moved. outward which will relieve the tension on the canvas and permit the ends of the boat to collapse. The transverse ribs 30 may then be moved to remove the tension against the sides and at the center and these mem bers may then be removed. It will then be observed that the entire boat may be rolled or folded to the position shown in Figure 6, which may be the full length of the boat, however, if it is desired to more completely fold the boat, the bolts 25 may be removed from the ends and the ends of the members 26 and 27 may readily be drawn outward. The intermediate members 4 may then be pulled apart from their telescoping sections 5 at their centers and the boat may then be folded to slightly less than half of its length.

A slat floor may also be provided which is indicated by the numeral 48 and which is tied at the end in openings 49 in the blocks 13. The floor lays over the transverse members and insures members 30 remaining in place while the boat'is in use.

The ends of the canvas covering may be cut as shown in Figure 7 and the section shown in the semi-circle may be folded in the dotted lines with the point forming the point of the boat and the intermediate points 51 folding backward as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. The actual ends of the canvas as indicated at the points 52 will extend to the point of the boat and fold over the sections between the points 50 and 51 and 52, thereby doubling the thickness of the canvas at the ends and at the same time, providing an end without a seam below the upper edge of the boat.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a rcollapsible boat, a plurality of longitudinal ribs, telescoping sections at the centers of the ribs, spring latches in the said telescoping sections of some of the ribs, other ribs forming rails at the upper edges of the said boat, splice sections at the centers of the two ribs forming the rails, suitable end members to which the ends of the ribs may be held and which, when inserted in place, will stretch the boat, transverse ribs shaped to conform to the cross section of the boat pivotally held to the ribs by clamps, a suitable covering for the said boat, and collapsible seats with means for supporting them in the said boat.

2. In a collapsible boat, a plurality of longitudinal ribs slidably connected at their centers, other ribs forming rails in the upper edges of the boat, a suitable water proof covering having all of the joints above the, water line, splice sections fastened in the hems of the said covering for locating the frame in relation to the covering and holding inner ends of the said ribs forming the rails, a removable means for holding the said ribs in position and for stretching the said covering intermediate of the ends, collapsible means for holding the ends of the said ribs and for stretching the said covering at the ends, suitable means for supporting oar locks in the sides of the boat and suitable collapsible seats for the said boat.

3. In a collapsible boat, a canvas covering, a plurality of longitudinal ribs forming the bottom and partially forming the sides of the said boat, the ends of the said ribs being held together by a flexible cord at a common point in the bottom of the ends of the said boat, other ribs forming the side rails of the boat in hems in the upper edges of the covering, said rails being provided with splice sections at their centers, said splice sections being attached to the canvas to locate the said frame in relation to the said covering, detachable clamps for holding the said rails to the said former groupof longitudinal ribs, collapsible end members for holding the ribs and rails in relation to each other, and for stretching the said covering, and suitable transverse members pivotally held in the said clamps for holding the said ribs in position.

4. In a collapsible boat, a canvas covering, a plurality of longitudinal ribs forming the sides and bottom of the boat, said ribs being rigidly held at intervals and being curved downward, upward and inward to common points in the bottoms of the ends of the boat, said longitudinal ribs thereby forming trusses to brace the boat, other ribs forming side rails in hems in the upper edges of the sides, splice sections at the centers of these ribs and attached to the sides, detachable clamps for holding the said longitudinal ribs to the said ribs forming the rails,

collapsible end members for holding the ribs and covering and suitable transverse members for forcing and holding the said ribs in position.

5. In a collapsible boat, a plurality of longitudinal ribs slidably connected at their centers, other ribs forming rails in the upper edges of the boat, a suitable water proof covering having all of the joints above the water line, a removable means for holding the said ribs in position and for stretching the said covering intermediate of the ends, collapsible means for holding the ends of the said ribs and for stretching the said covering at the ends, suitable means for supporting oar locks in the sides of the boat and suitable collapsible seats for the said boat.

6. In a collapsible boat, a canvas covering, a plurality of longitudinal ribs forming the sides and bottom of the boat, said ribs being rigidly held at intervals and being curved downward, upward and inward to common points in the bottoms of the ends of the boat, said longitudinal ribs thereby forming trusses to brace the boat, other ribs forming side rails, detachable clamps for holding the said longitudinal ribs to the said ribs forming the rails, collapsible end members for holding the ribs and covering and suitable transverse members for forcing and holding the said ribs in position.

FRANK H. CHURCHILL. 

